At a glance

The South Shetland Islands and the channels of the Antarctic Peninsula form arguably the most spectacular and certainly the most pristine wilderness on earth

This is an astonishing adventure into the heart of the Peninsula. It is a heady and inspiring cocktail of towering blue icebergs which refract searing blues and greens, whether against piercing clear skies or slate grey ones. It is home to an extraordinary array of wildlife: penguins of almost all descriptions, Leopard and smaller seals and whales, seen from the shore, the Zodiacs and from on board. This is a journey that appeals to many: photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, ornithologists or those who simply want to marvel at the peaks of Deception Island or the striking colours of Iceberg Alley in the most immaculate wilderness anywhere.

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Board ship and sail along the Beagle Channel.

Morning is free to explore Ushuaia and the surrounding area, to do some last minute shopping, stroll around Ushuaia and down to the port or maybe go for a walk in the nearby National Park. The transfer to the ship takes place in the afternoon. Once on board there is a get together for introductions to the expedition team, to learn about the ship and its layout, talk about the itinerary for the next 10 days and participate in the obligatory lifeboat drill. Departure from Ushuaia is normally around 6:00 p.m, and we set sail through the Beagle Channel in the early evening. The long days mean plenty of evening light in which to experience the beauty of the channel, and to perhaps enjoy your first wildlife sightings.See more images and videos

2Day 2First of two days spent crossing the Drake Passage.

Sea conditions in the Drake Passage can vary from dead calm (known as 'Drake Lake'), to rough and stormy (known as 'Drake Shake'). As you cross the Drake Passage our team of experts is out on deck to help you spot whales and identify seabirds. There is also a programme of talks, covering the wildlife, the ice, and polar history. This prepares you for your adventure to the 'White Continent'. The excitement intensifies as you cross the Antarctic Convergence, where the cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean meet the warmer waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. You feel the change as the air gets cooler. Huge icebergs loom up against the horizon in increasing numbers, and Wandering albatrosses, petrels and other birds which thrive in this cold, remote ocean are frequently seen.See more images and videos

4Day 4The first of five days spent exploring the South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula.

When the Antarctic Convergence is left in our wake, we will truly begin our Antarctic adventure. It is perhaps the first sight of land itself that is embraced as the true beginning of any Antarctic expedition. We can finally begin to appreciate why this region has long captivated the attention of explorers and travelers alike. Every time we visit Antarctica we witness something new or unexpected, meaning your expedition will be unlike any other - creating a unique, personal experience. We will take Zodiac excursions from the ship to explore bays, channels and landing sites each day. With wildlife always at the forefront of our minds we will visit penguin rookeries, scout for Humpback and Minke whales and search for a number of the southern seal species, including the cunning Leopard Seal.
The majesty of the Peninsula’s mountains will enchant as we scramble up snowy pathways to vantage points offering 360° views of our surroundings. One of these in particular, in Orne Harbor, gives the opportunity to visit a chinstrap penguin colony high up on a ridge. Amidst the peaceful silence of Antarctica, noisy interruptions become indelible memories such as penguins squabbling over prized pebbles or the boom and crack of a calving glacier in Neko Harbour.
As we sail from island to shore to bay during our four days in the Peninsula, the Expedition Team will educate and entertain. We’ll provide opportunities for quiet contemplation, activities for testing endurance and more than enough wildlife interactions to satisfy all curiosity.See more images and videos

Leaving the Antarctic Peninsula overnight our ship heads back across the Antarctic Convergence and the Drake Passage. The crossing is completed with the rounding of Cape Horn, weather permitting.See more images and videos

Your images

Adult Group

The Sea Adventurer takes a maximum capacity of 122 passengers, the Sea Spirit takes a maximum capacity of 112 passengers, the Ocean Diamond takes a maximum capacity of 189 passengers, the Akademik Sergey Vavilov takes a maximum capacity of 90 passengers and the Akademik Ioffe takes a maximum capacity of 96 passengers. The Exodus group forms part of the ship’s complement, enjoying the relaxed, intimate and informal atmosphere, which breaks into smaller groups to facilitate the frequent excursions. We offer these cruises in conjunction with Quark Expeditions and One Ocean Expeditions, and Exodus participants will join an international group, not all of whom have booked through Exodus. Occasionally some of these may be younger than 18 years old, the Exodus' stated minimum age for this trip.

Activity level

You are healthy, enjoy the outdoors and want a relaxing trip. No experience is required.

What's included

What's included

All meals while on the ship

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout and qualified Expedition Staff

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Polar Adventure Ship

The Antarctic Explorer is offered on a choice of Polar Adventure ships, including the Sea Spirit, the Sea Adventurer, the Ocean Diamond, the Akademik Sergey Vavilov and the Akademik Ioffe. Full board accommodation on the ship, generally on a twin share basis in a variety of cabin types, all with shared or en suite facilities.

Polar Adventure Ship:
These are small ice rated vessels well qualified for Polar waters. Intimate adventures are always more enjoyable with like-minded passengers and staff, so these voyages are for people who like flexible itineraries and plenty to keep them busy. Activities include frequent Zodiac excursions, trekking, kayaking and many hours on deck in areas that other ships only dream about accessing. Food and staff are superb and every guest benefits from the technical advances of this superb fleet. Rest assured our Polar Adventure Ships enable any traveller to maximize their experience sensitively in the Poles.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
No visa required for British passport holders.
There are no specific health risks. Holiday style

Travelling Conditions
The voyages are designed to be as flexible as possible, taking advantage of circumstances and events as they occur, as well as passengers' wishes and particular interests wherever possible. The atmosphere on board is relaxed and friendly with expedition staff, including naturalists and Polar experts, on hand and the opportunity to mingle with people from all over the world. The ship is kept warm, clean and comfortable with a wet/mud room in which to hang gear and store boots ready for the next adventure.

On the Zodiac cruises you are sitting still for most of the time with the potential for some sea spray and a cold headwind - if you are not dressed appropriately you will get cold. On the shore excursions, the majority of landings are wet which means that the Zodiacs beach and you are helped to slide into the ankle deep shore break before walking up onto dry land (wellington boots are issued to all passengers).

There are, of course, no paths, so be prepared for slippery, rough terrain and sometimes fairly deep snow. Back on board the cosy ship after each adventure, you can have a sauna and/or a hot shower and then relax with a tea, coffee, hot chocolate or something stronger from the bar.

Optional activities
On some occasions, space is limited on the optional activities and needs to be booked in advance. Please ask our Polar Sales team for more information if you are interested in one of the options below.

Sea kayaking option
On many of our Antarctic voyages there is the chance for some members of the party to take regular sea kayak excursions in place of the Zodiac excursions. There are a limited number of kayaks on each ship, and you must book and pay for this option in advance. All kayak trips are expertly guided, and are subject to suitable locations and weather conditions. Should the kayaking not be possible, a place on a Zodiac is always available.

Camping on Ice option
Spending a night camping on ice is a unique experience we offer on some of our Antarctic departures. No previous experience is needed to participate in our camping option. We provide the equipment: you contribute a desire for a personal and intimate connection with the continent.

Mountaineering option
On some of our Antarctic voyages there is the chance for some members of the party to participate in a mountaineering option. This is an awe-inspiring experience from the first step to the final glissade - the last slide on your descent.
You can expect to summit 2 or 3 small Antarctic peaks. All equipment is provided, and although no previous experience is required, you will be using crampons, harness, and an ice axe; some technical climbing is involved.

Cross-country skiing option
On some of our Antarctic voyages there is the chance for some members of the party to participate in a cross-country skiing option. It is impossible to imagine a continent better suited to cross-country skiing, the earliest method of transport used by Antarctic explorers.

Snowshoeing
Especially on early departures at the beginning of the season there are still snow covered hills and mountains further inland. During voyages to the Antarctic we are planning on offering hiking excursions with snowshoes. Snowshoe walking is easy and does not require any technical skills. With the use of snowshoes it is easier and safer to walk on snow surfaces. Snowshoes will be provided to everyone on board. Those will fit all boot sizes and can be used in combination with the provided rubber boots.

Eating & drinking

All meals while on the ship included.

The ships galley offers good quality service and cuisine throughout, with excellent chefs preparing international menus including vegetarian dishes, accompanied by a wide variety of drinks from around the world on sale.

Breakfast: Buffet style - unlimited tea and coffee, a selection of fruit juices, hot options including bacon and eggs or omelettes, a selection of bread and toast and jam/honey/marmalade, fruit and cereal.

Lunch: Three course set meal, or the occasional buffet or BBQ.

Dinner: Three or four courses with a starter of soup and/or salad, a choice of mains with at least one vegetarian option and a dessert, with tea and coffee.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

Late Spring and Early Summer

November

The start of the season and the most adventurous time to travel. You'll encounter truly breathtaking, exquisitely sculpted icebergs emerging from their frozen hibernation. Many of these blue bergs house courting, nesting and brooding penguins.

High Summer

January and February

Close to the solstice you'll experience almost perpetual daylight. These are the mildest months when the first Adelie and Gentoo penguin chicks are hatched. As the water warms the whale sightings also improve.

Late Summer

February and March

This is the time for some incredible encounters with whales, especially Minkes and Humpbacks. The receding ice allows for further exploration and penguin colonies are very active with adults feeding their chicks.

Gallery

Reviews & community

The whole trip was exceptionally well organised and was up there with my most inspriational trip ever (and I have done a fair bit of travelling!!)) Antarctica is definately a place you should experience a once in a lifetime experience.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

This is a hard one to answer as the whole trip was awsome, the most amazing moment was a close encounter (close enough to touch!) with a humpback whale. We were in two zociacs and the humpback came and played with the boats for over half an hour it brought tears to your eyes that such a huge creature could be so interactive and gentle with boats that it outsized by many times. Close up and personal.

Penguins galore while you can stay the recommended 5 meters away from them dont be surprised that they dont pay the same attention to the rules!!! If I am to use an analogy in the future for teams it will be to have the determination of a penguin getting to their nesting sites sometimes at the top of mountains. Sheer resilliance and determination.

It was inspirational to see the working and historical scientific/research sites that our guides could inform us of the great work that had been done to inform our future.

What did you think of your group leader?

Group leader from exodus was very inmative and our leader and the ships tour leaders got as much out of the trip that was possible for the whole group. Made sure we had the information we needed and were always on hand to give answers to quesitons and ensure our trip was safe and most importantly enjoyable. As a photographer the opportunities were massive.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Yes go for it ensure you look at the guidelines on what to bring and what is available on ship, I took most of my camera kit and used it all there are sooo many opportunities for great photographs. Remember to take the time to sit back be quiet and take in the sounds views and experiences of Antarctica put the camera down and experience the place. Take lots of memory cards and a back up to ensure you have enough space for the images you will get.

Plenty of layers and a spare pair of socks.

If you get the chance tag an extra day on at Beunos Aires a great experience and if its summer there v. hot remember to take an outfit that will work in this temperature.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dont hesitate to go for it, I had a wonderous time with fabulous like minded people and learnt so much from the guides and fellow travellers.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

Any description of Antarctica is always full of 'expletives'. Quite honestly where do you start? Its awesome, pristine, 'bigger' than you can imagine. The glaciers and the thickness of the snow cover was simply mind boggling. Listening to the occasional 'calving' glacier making a noise like 'gun fire' sometimes startled you as often it happened some distance away without you actually seeing the event itself. The clearness and crispness of the air was an absolute tonic. The penguin colonies ('rookeries') were simply amazing. You read about how close you can get to the wildlife there but it was quite suprising actually how close you could get to them. They were seemingly oblivious to the presence of man and therefore we were able to study their natural behaviour. It was a very humbling experience indeed and you felt 'at one' with nature, a part of the whole. Someone said to me back home before we left 'Why go there won't a photograph of a particular animal or bird have the same effect? Well you just have to visit a penguin rookery or a seal haul-out to experience the unforgettable sights sounds and oh yes -'odour' like no other and the adventure of course of actually making landfall on the most remote and pristine continent on Earth. You don't get that experience from photographs! It is such an exciting feeling when you actually set foot on the continent itself.

Describing a specific inspirational moment is impossible as you have to think about the whole picture. The landscape, the glaciers, the wildlife, the silence, the light, the people. There is no experience quite like it on our planet. It was one 'big adventure' from start to finish!

What did you think of your group leader?

All the 'One Ocean' guides were good. They were knowlegable, skillful, caring and considerate at all times. The expedition team leader was Chad who was exceptional I have to add. His cool, calm quiet leadership made such a difference to the trip I'm sure. We all felt very safe in his capable hands. We have nothing but praise too for the ship's Captain and crew. They worked efficiently, quietly and discreetly in the background.

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Most trips to the Antarctic Peninsula start at Ushuaia in Southern Patagonia. They call it 'The end of the World' but don't be put off by that rather deceiving descriptive! Its a city with a population of 70,000 to 80,000 people so its quite substantial. It is very much a 'frontier' town much like Jenneau in Alaska if you have been there. It is quite vibrant and I would suggest spending a few days there before (or even after) your cruise to explore the area such as taking a boat trip into the Beagle Channel or a trip to the Tierra Del Fuego National Park. Maybe the best way to do this might be to hire a car but our trips were organised. What clothing to take with you will probably take up much of your time in planning beforehand! But make sure you take enough base layers with you and warm and 'waterproof' gloves. The expedition ship we went on namely the 'Akademic Ioffe' provided waterproofs and gum boots which you keep for the duration of the voyage and 'wash down' after each shore visit. Do wear good footwear on deck ie- 'hiking boots' as it can get slippy and you don't want to be breaking any limbs when you are out there! Its even more important to wear good footwear if you hit foul weather in the Drake Passage and a unexpected wave can cause a sudden jolt which may cause you to lose your balance. The golden rule then of course is 'keep one hand for the ship'! We took warm quilted coats with us which were not waterproof. They are fine but bulky to pack. If you have taken sufficient base layers with you then the kit the ship supplies may be sufficient for you. We went in January and it wasn't incredibly cold out there in fact it was colder in the UK when we got back! Don't forget the 'sun block' and UV protection sunglasses. Make sure you take 'plenty' of memory cards for your cameras!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

You may have thought about a trip to Antarctica for a long time. Of course its expensive getting there and there is no getting away from that but a voyage to this pristine white continent can be simply life changing. Savour every moment. A trip to Antarctica will give you a better understanding of the fragile planet upon which we all live.

Remember it when you return home and be an ambassador for this remote and fascinating continent.

Wonderful trip. Well worth the effort despite some stressful moments in the beginning. Antarctica is a very special place. Cannot be compared to any other travel experience. So glad I went. Would have given 5 stars but for my experiences prior to and at the beginning of the trip.

What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

The Penguins. Waking up after a night in the snow to see a Penguin looking at me. Seeing a Whales head surface near our Zodiac. The sheer pristine beauty of the place. The "blue icebergs" and the stillness. Nature at its purest and most unspoilt. The wonderful staff. The professional photographers and the interesting lectures. The memory stick of the trip, including photos was a great momento.

What did you think of your group leader?

Kim Christie. I did not know she was on the trip until a few days into the trip despite exchanging emails prior to the trip. Could have done with her help in Ushuaia (see "Anything you want to add").

Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

Wish I'd taken a hat with ear flaps and an inbetween coat. Sometimes my triple goose down parka was a bit too warm (it can get quite warm in the sun when worn together with the waterproof outer gear) and my thin jacket (for the BA sun) was not warm enough for Ushuaia. The thin inner finger gloves are very useful when taking photos. Thermals are a must. Layers of thin polo necks best. Tee shirt OK in ship but need warm coat for deck. No special shoes/boots required. Rent wellington boots, waterproof jacket and trousers on ship. Travel light. Take lots of film and extra batteries.

Worst airport (BA to Ushuaia) experience I've ever had (and I've done a lot of travelling). Long queues. Very few of the staff speak English. Chaos. So nearly missed flight. Met quite a few other people who had a similar experience. Get to the airport early. Coming back was better. Nice little airport at Ushuaia.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Did not get my final travel documents until a week before my departure date. I had to call and ask where they were. Even then, they were not complete. There was no separate document re "Ushuaia joining instructions". I sent an email and got an apology and some instructions Also, why was I not booked in at the Hotel Albatross (the meeting point for departure to the ship) as Kim and her companion were? I have no complaints about Hotel Las Lengas. They were very helpful but it is a good 10-15 minutes walk to the Albatross Hotel. Also, I was told by Kim that I could leave my bags at the Albatross Hotel until our departure to the ship in late afternoon. Check out at the Hotel Las Lengas was 1000. When I got to the Albatross Hotel (around 1030) they would not let me store my luggage there. They said they only stored luggage for people staying at the hotel. They said they had had this problem before and had informed the various companies before. They gave me the name of a place in the town where I could leave my luggage. I could not find it and ended up leaving my luggage at the Tourist Office (who were very helpful). One more thing - I was booked into a triple cabin but there were other single people on the ship who did not book a single cabin but ended up in a cabin on their own. Kim was aware of this and said she would look into it.

After studying travel and tourism, Kim moved to Dubai to help sell luxury properties on the famous Palm Jumeriah. From here she moved to Madrid, and spent a year teaching English to school children. Struggling to settle back in to normal life, she hopped on a plane, and enjoyed 6 months in India, China and Southeast Asia. Kim now looks after all our clients booked to travel to the Polar Regions, and is just back (July 2010) from 10 days spotting polar bears in Spitzbergen.

Questions about your trip

Pick your question

Do I need to bring my own wellington boots?

No. Boots are provided onboard. Bring numerous pairs of woolly socks though to keep your feet warm! We would also recommend a clothes peg or clip for your boots that you can clearly identify as your own, as this helps to track down your own pair of boots in the wet room.

Kim Christie - Polar Operations

If I’ve booked the kayaking how much can I expect to do?

Remember if you want to enjoy the kayaking this must be booked in advance. The actual amount of kayaking depends on the weather and the expedition route but you can expect to enjoy 5 or 6 kayaking excursions. These might be for an hour or for a full half day.

Catriona Griffin - Polar Sales

Exodus staff - expertise on hand to help

All the staff at Exodus share a passion for adventure travel, and are always happy to answer any questions you may have. You can find an expert for the area you are interested in here and can contact them to get further information. If you don't see your specific country listed, please email customerops@exodus.co.uk and they will get the answers you need!

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